Alyssa Farrah Griffin, a co-host of “The View,” expressed her discomfort on Wednesday upon witnessing California Rep. Eric Swalwell reportedly overindulging in alcohol at a recent event.
Swalwell has stepped down from his gubernatorial campaign in California and resigned from Congress following allegations of sexual assault and other misconduct towards women. He acknowledged his “error in judgment,” maintaining, however, that the assault allegations are untrue.
Whoopi Goldberg, another co-host, highlighted that Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, a close associate of Swalwell, had admitted to longstanding rumors about Swalwell’s flirtatious behavior.
Gallego stated, “Eric Swalwell lied to all of us. He misled some of the most powerful figures in our country, who had trusted him with sensitive governmental roles, including the Judiciary and Intel Committees, and even during Trump’s impeachment.”
Griffin later expressed how this situation complicated her perspective and friendship with Swalwell: “It clouded my judgment, and I regret that deeply.”
She mentioned that, for many like herself, the rumors surrounding Swalwell’s alleged misconduct weren’t entirely surprising.
“I think it’s worth noting that I hadn’t personally encountered anything bad or illegal,” Griffin remarked. “But there was a moment when I observed him being overserved. I kept that thought in my mind. Just like any woman might, I thought it was something that made me uneasy.”
Griffin added, “If people were aware of any wrongdoing, they should have spoken up. If something truly was wrong, they absolutely should’ve intervened.”
Addressing potential vulnerabilities, Griffin pointed out, “Swalwell served on the Intel Committee, and there were concerns about his ties to suspected Chinese spy Fang Fang. While no wrongdoing has officially been established, the credibility of the Pentagon feels compromised. His history with women and perceived issues with drinking have become open secrets.”
“Our adversaries are watching for opportunities to exploit this,” she warned. “It’s frustrating this had been known yet unaddressed. Thankfully, now figures like Adam Schiff are urging him to step down, and he has finally taken the right action.”
At the time of this report, Swalwell’s publicist and legal team had not responded to requests for comment.
